Little 'Big' League

On a recent afternoon, a tree-lined pocket of La Cienega Park echoed with the thwack of bats hitting balls and the shrieks of players as they ran, jumped and dived on the baseball field.

Dressed in red T-shirts with Cincinnati Reds emblazoned across the front, and matching baseball caps with the letter "C" above the brim, the team defended its  two-year Beverly Hills Little League winning streak last weekend against the Washington Nationals. The players were all 7 or 8 years old but what they lacked in experience, they made up for in enthusiasm.

"The Reds are one of the best among the 12 teams in the Rookie program," said Mike Clark, the on-duty umpire. "The game starts in half an hour and they are already out here practicing."

Dozens of parents and a handful of grandparents and siblings gathered to cheer on the teams. Some clapped from the bleachers, while others sat on rugs they had brought or reclined in beach chairs.

Between innings parents checked Blackberries, socialized, read a few pages from a book they had brought along, or even knitted a few quick patterns.

"With the parents, the dogs and the grandmothers...it's almost like a three-ring circus out here," Clark said. "Especially at the beginning of the season."

Alex Bernal, whose 8-year-old son Marcus plays for the Reds, likes that his boy is part of a team. "Nowadays, kids are bombarded with video games," he said. "This is a perfect excuse to have them outdoors, enjoying what they like."

Rachel Timoner agreed. Her son Benji, 7, has been playing in the Beverly Hills Little League since he was 4. "They focus on teaching the kids to be part of a team, and to support each other," she said. "They encourage them when they do well, so they feel confident about themselves and learn to be good sportsmen."

After the last game of the season June 5, Benji plans to go to summer camp, including a weeklong baseball camp, and catch up with his other interests—playing the violin, practicing karate, and playing soccer and basketball.

The Rookie program is one of seven offered by the Beverly Hills Little League. For this age group, a team's coach pitches to his own players. There are five runs in an inning, and the game lasts an hour and a half. The Rookie season consists of 11 games.

Gregory Brenner, the Red's assistant coach, has been with the team for four years. "We work hard on the boys, teaching them about the game, and to become better players," he said. "We have seen the players change over the years. People who couldn't throw, couldn't hit, have now become little baseball players. They all try very hard and learn from mistakes."

Brenner said the lessons on the field were not just about winning and losing, but also about life. "It's all about good sportsmanship and being on a team," he said.

One of the most important lessons Brenner wants to teach his players is to keep trying until they succeed. "To get better at something, you might have to start off down here at one and then climb up slowly," he said. "That's what we teach the kids."

Parental support is key to the success of Little League. The Reds get extra assistance from fathers of the players, some of whom help out at the practice sessions. "There's nothing like baseball and sons," Brenner said.

Brenner himself is a Little League dad. His son Jesse, 8, has played for the Reds for four years. Brenner and wife Amy see the benefits of baseball for their son. "The players all go to different schools, but they have great team spirit," Amy said. "The sport has taught them a lot about self esteem, confidence and taking risks."